Sunday, January 27th, 2019

Kona, Hawaii
70th operating temple
Dedicated: 23 Jan 2000
By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Matthew 27:40

And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Book of Mormon

1Nephi 17:48-18:4

*When has the Lord asked me to do something and then given me the instructions rather than do the work for me?

*How can you build your life just like Nephi built the ship, not after the manner of men but 'after the manner which the Lord had shown unto' you?

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Review John 1

General Conference

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole

Elder Matthew L. Carpenter

"When loved ones are confronted with the truth about sinfull behavior, while they may feel deeply wounded, they often want to help the sincerely repentant sinner to change and to reconcile with God. Indeed, spiritual healing accelerates when the sinner confesses and is surrounded by those who love them and help the to forsake their sins. Please remember that Jesus Christ is mighty in how He also heals the innocent victims of sin who turn to Him."

Today was our ward conference so in sacrament meeting we heard from Bishop Miller and President Beeler. The theme of the conference was ,"Stay on The Covenant Path,"  based on 2 Nephi 31:20: Wherefore ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Bishop Miller and President Beeler are two of my favorite speakers. Bishop Miller started out by saying that the covenant path encompasses joy and the journey is part of the gift. Christ's journey is part of His gift. The Covenant Path starts with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is the essence of the Covenant Path, a perfect brightness of hope. We must be spiritually born of God through the Atonement and our Covenants. The Atonement is retroactive. "We've never lived anywhere but Heaven." (C.S. Lewis)

Our ward choir: Kathy Crane, Alicia Hunsaker, Tamar Applegate, Katie Hahn, Lorraine Vaught, Kip and Sean Hunsaker, and Virgil Cooper, sang "More Holiness Give Me" and were led by Stefani Hunsaker and Pierce Goodman on the piano.

President Beeler said, "Your bishop and I are kindred spirits. I feel we knew each other in the premortal life and covenanted to come down and work together in building up the kingdom of God."

"I am motivated by two things, love and fear. I am here today because I love the Lord. He loves me and you, and I love you. He told the story of the lame man outside the gate of the temple in the book of Acts and how Peter and John gave him a blessing and he rose up and walked for the first time and Peter led him into the temple. We covenant to be ministers and our efforts should lead us to focus on spiritual things. We, like Peter, need to invite others to the next saving ordinance in their lives. There is no finer sermon than those who are helping others along the Covenant Path. Hold fast to the words of the prophets. Help, invite, ask, align."

President Miles, one of the counselors in the stake presidency who is an opthamologist, taught the adults during the second hour. We talked about what a covenant is, a two way promise between us and the Lord. An ordinance is an act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Do all ordinances have covenants attached to them? Here are some that do: Baptism, confirmation, priesthood, endowment and sealing. President Miles said he couldn't think of any covenants attached to consecrating oil or giving a priesthood blessing. Brother Curtis reminded us that faith is a covenant attached to all ordinances. I was so glad he said that because it just felt right!

This is the Covenant Path: Baptism, Confirmation, Priesthood ordination, Endowment, Sealing and Enduring to the End. We endure by partaking of the sacrament each week. All of our covenants can be sanctified by the Holy Spirit of Promise which qualifies us for Eternal Life with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We were all given this handout: 

It's a frig magnet but since my refrigerator is not magnetized I put in on my whiteboard in the kitchen.

We spent a nice quiet day at home studying the gospel and relaxing. We read together Matthew 3; Mark 1; and Luke 3 for this coming week's "Come Follow Me" discussion. 

James wrote an email letter to Ben while I worked on my blog. I normally write my letter to him on Monday morning. 

Max blessed the sacrament for the first time today!

Sheri got tickets to go to see President and Sister Nelson, and President and Sister Oaks on February 10th for Ian, herself, Max, Evan and James and I. We are very excited!

So sad to wake up to on a Sunday morning.

Such a little princess!

Kacey's niece has a dog that is hypoallergenic
and does not shed so her dad let's her bring him in the house.

Love these two!

 Five months old today!

Yes, she's watching a video on TV

 Scarlett waiting for her dad to get home from work.

Monday, August 20th, 2018

Kona, Hawaii

70th operating temple

Dedicated: 23 Jan 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Creator

Job 26:13
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.

Book of Mormon

Alma 53:1-17
*How can we build a "fortified city" to protect us?
-Henry B. Eyring said: "As the forces around us increase in intensity whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough. And whatever growth in spiritual strength we once thought was possible, greater growth will be made available to us. Both the need for spiritual strength and the opportunity to acquire it will increase at rates which we underestimate at our peril." How do we build fortifications? By keeping our covenants. They are the way to access the power God has promised to send us.
Old Testament

Psalms 51-55
51 David pleads for forgiveness after he went in to Bathsheba - He pleads, Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.
52 David says that wicked tongues devise mischief and the wicked trust in riches - The Saints trust in the mercy of God forever.
53 David says, The fool says there is no God - There is none who does good - Gathered Israel will rejoice.
54 David pleads for salvation and promises to serve God.
55 David prays morning noon, and night - He seeks protection and help against his enemies.

General Conference

Pure Love: The True Sign of Every True Disciple of Jesus Christ

Elder Massimo DeFeo
"My dear brothers and sisters, if you are struggling to find the strength to forgive, don't think of what others have done to you, but think of what the Savior has done for you, and you will find peace in the redemptive blessings of His Atonement.
True disciples love to submit themselves to the Lord with peace in their heart. They are humble and submissive because they love Him. They have faith to fully accept His will, not only in what He does but also in how and when. True disciples know that the real blessings are not always what they want but rather what the Lord wants for them."

FHE:

He That Shall Endure unto the End the Same Shall Be Saved

Elder Claudio D. Zivic

"We must strive to obey all the commandments and pay close attention to those that are hardest for us to keep. The Lord will be at our side, helping us in times of need and weakness, and if we demonstrate a sincere desire and act accordingly, He will make 'weak things become strong.'"

I got up early this morning to work on my blog. As a result I got to see Addy before she left for school. Lola and Ruby helped me wrap Addy's HP Clue game. I wrapped the little gifts and put them in a basket. This is what everything looked like when I was finished:

It looks like an Easter basket.

I should have got a picture of Addy.

I did get a picture of Rowan and Ruby before they went to school, and one for Lola and Trina. Trina is a photo bomber.

 Trina calls him Squints, I
call him Rowan.

Miss Ruby has some rainbow converse shoes

Two lovely ladies.

James went to the Phoenician Golf Course to try to talk to the owner but the guy would not talk to him.

I had lunch with Karen S. at the Firebird's in Gilbert. It was so fun to catch up and see my dear friend. She bought my lunch and gave me two books for my birthday. 

James and I went to visit with his mom before leaving town. She had birthday gifts for me and a quilt and a dress for Jared and Kacey's baby. 

For my birthday I got embroidered pillow cases and a table runner from Lois and Dawn and a $50 Amazon card. I also got a $50 Amazon card from Darrel and Trina, $70 from Sheri and Ian, and $70 from James, enough to buy an embossing/die cut machine.

We went home through Payson. It rained around Heber. 

We listened to "Scarlet" on the way home.

We stopped at Tasha's and picked up the Cougar card I bought from Zack. It cost $20 and there are lots of discounts available.

When we got home James had to pump up the tire on his truck and hook up the trailer. He is leaving at 4 am for Taylor to pick up his tractor. He took with him a $2,100 check to pay for the repairs done on the tractor.

I walked until 9:40 to get my 10,000 steps. 

James took George his dump truck around 8 pm

this evening. 

Congratulations Matt and Ruby!

I'm so excited to receive my first shipment!